Suitcase and the like



1931. .1. H. VINEBERG SUITCASE AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 6, 1929 INVENTOIYZ: JOSEPH H. VINEBEQG.

ATTOIZNEY5.

Patented Dec. 29, 1931 PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH HIRSOH VINEBERG, OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA SUITCASE AND THE LIKE Application filed September 6, 1929.

This invention relates particularly to suitcases though it is applicable to trunks or analogous containers comprising a box portion and a lid hinged thereto.

According to the invention an additional member is provided to which the garment hangers may be attached, this additional member being movably secured to the lid in such a manner that it may be moved to sup- 1 port the hangers in an elevated position with respect to the lid so that the clothes may hang down at full length from the hangers and alternatively, the additional member may be folded downwardly to move the garments into the lid when the suitcase is to be packed for travelling.

It will be understood that the term garment hanger as used in the description or claims means any convenient hanger adapted to engage the shoulder portions of a garment; as distinguished from a bar supported at the ends over which a garment is doubled.

Wardrobe trunks are of course well known which are provided with garment hangers, but in these the hangers are arranged so that the garments hang down only when the trunks are standing on edge, that is with the hinge in a vertical position. The present invention has more particular reference to smaller types of cases and is intended to make it possible for the garments to be hung or spread out from the free edge of the lid, or an extension thereof, without necessitating the large bulk and great weight of a ward robe trunk.

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate dia rammatically and by way of example, two f ornos of the invention:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of the improved case in open position,

Figure 2 is a front elevation also in open position,

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the invention in closed position,

Serial No. 390,803.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a detail.

In the drawings the numeral 1 represents the box portion of a suitcase provided with any convenient form of handle such as 2 and locking device such as 3. Hinged to the box 1 is .a lid 1 having a complementary locking device 5 to cooperate with the locking device 3. Means are provided for limiting the opening of the lid to substantially ninety degrees with respect to the portion 1, pairs of pivoted links 6 being shown for this purpose.

A member such as 7 is hinged at 8 to the lid 4, the member 7 being preferably in the form of a tray. Means are provided for limiting the movement of the member 7 to about 180 with respect to the lid 4, slotted bars 9 being illustrated for this purpose, by way of example. The bars 9 are each pivoted to the outside of the member 7 at 10, and a pin 11 on the lid 4 slides in the slot in the bar 9. If desired the bar 9 and links 6 may be omitted from one side of the suitcase, and these bars and links may be replaced by any equivalent devices which will limit the relative movement of the parts a and 7 in the manner described and which will hold these parts releasably in the open position as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

A plurality of garment hangers such as 12 are adapted to be attached to the member 7 so as to be adjacent the top thereof when the case is opened as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. It will be understood that the hangers and attaching means therefor may be of any known convenient type, and are therefore merely indicated in a purely diagrammatic manner. c

A rectangular sheet of fabric 13 may be attached to the member 7 at 14. This sheet is clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3, but is omitted from Figure 2 for purposes 'of illustration. The sheet 13 is of substantially the same dimensions as the interior of the member 7 and is provided'with fastening devices such as snap fastener members 15 which coact with the complementary fastener members 16. A modified form of sheet 13 is shown on a smallerscale in' Figure 5. According to this arrangement flaps 13 project laterally from. the sheet 13 and are provided with cooperating fastener devices 13 and 13 respectively.

When the case has been opened as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, garments are placed on 5 the hangers 12 as indicated in dotted lines at 17. The elevation of the hangers 12 on account of the addition of the member 7 to the suitcase enables the'garments to hang down at full length. When the case is to be used for travelling the box portion 1 may be packed with the required articles in the usual way. The garments on the hangers 12are folded within the compass of the member 7 and held in place by means of the sheet 13 which is lifted up and secured against the folded garments by snapping the fastener members 15 onto the members 16. If the arrangement shown. in Figure 5 is employed, the flaps 18 are folded inwardly and fasten- 0 ed together over the garments and it is merely necessary to raise the sheet 13, together with the garments and bring the fasteners 15 into engagement with the fasteners 16. This arrangement facilitates the raising of the gar- 5 ments into the member 7 i e The bars 9 are then swung forwardly to bring their slots into alignment with the pins 11, and the member 7, with the folded garments thereon, is then hinged downward- 0 1y into the lid 4. The links 6 are then actuated in the customary manner to swing the lid 4 down into its closed position as indicated in Figure 3.

It will be seen that according to this form of the invention any ordinary suitcase or like container is fitted with a movable extension adapted to carry garment hangers which are disposed in an elevated position when the extension is in open position, so that most ordinary garments may hang down at full length.

The walls of the parts 1, 4 and 7 may be made of any suitable construction and material, and the handle, lock, hinges, hangers and fittings for holding the parts in correct open position may be of any convenient construction or type. Moreover, any suitable arrangement of straps may be substituted for the sheet 18 and fasteners 1516 to hold the folded garments in place against the memher 7. The box 1 may of course, be fitted with any convenient arrangement of pockets or compartments as will be readily understood without specific illustration.

5 What. I claim is 1. A suitcase or analogous device comprising a box, a tray-like lid pivotally connected to said box, a member pivotally connected to the free side of said lid, means for holding 0 said lid in open position with respect to said box and means for holding said member in elevated position. with respect to said lid when the latter is open.

I 2. 'A suitcase or analogous device comprising a box, a tray-like lid pivotally connected to said box, a member pivotally connected to the free side of said lid, means for holding said lid in open position with respect to said box and means for holding said member in elevated position with respect to said lid when the latter is open, said member being arranged to fold into a closed position in said lid. 7

3. A suitcase or analogous device comprising a box, a tray-like lid pivotally connected to said box, a member pivotally connected to the free side of said lid, means for holding said lid in open position with respect to said box, means forholding said member in elevated position with respect to said lid when the latter is open and garment hanging means connected to said member so as to be adjacent the top of said member when the latter is in open position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH HIRSGH VIN EBERG. 

